Gravity Rises
by Nelauk
Summary: Twelve year old Mabel and Dipper Pines arrive in a backwoods Oregon town known as Gravity Falls to spend their winter vacation with their grandfather, only to uncover a conspiracy that literally transcends dimensions...
1. Chapter 1

They had been sitting in the bus for hours now.

Mabel gazed out of the frosted window, hand on cheek as she watched the powdered trees rush by. She was adrift in her own thoughts again.

 _Gravity Falls…_ she thought excitedly, in spite of the fatigue that was currently laden about her like blanket. Mabel had already known about that place and the multitude of rumors and myths that surrounded it. She'd invested countless hours of research, absorbing whatever she possibly could about the small town. The lore behind was incredible and it enchanted the girl more than anything. Hell, it obsessed her.

 _It is rumored that this rather innocuous looking Oregon town is a hotbed for paranormal activity,_ one of the articles she'd read about it explained. _There have been a number of accounts-mostly from tourists-claiming that there were ghosts and other supernatural phenomena occurring in the forest that surrounds the town._ Her fingers tightened its grip along the hems of her orange coat, trying to contain the adrenaline that was beginning to build up in her veins. A smile slowly started to creep onto her face. Ghosts, aliens, will-o-the-wisps, so many delicious secrets! Oh, it was like a dream come true! If she wasn't so tired then she'd be bouncing off the walls.

The sky was pink with the coming dawn. Mabel could see weak rays of sunlight coming over the horizon. How long had they been traveling for...? Days, maybe?

 _Couldn't they have just sent us on a plane?_ Mabel thought tiredly. Her entire body ached terribly, the bus was loud and shaky, and it reeked like something had gone bad. Had they flew over then she and Dipper would've been at Oregon hours ago, not in some rundown bus. But her parents said that there were costs, and that it was safer to go by bus, for planes were prone to crashing.

 _'But it's more safer to travel by air!'_ Mabel had corrected them passionately. _'I read that you're more likely to get into a car accident than a plane crash!'_

Unsurprisingly her parents brushed off her remarks, saying, _'Oh, we don't want to take the chances...'_ Like her opinion didn't matter.

 _Chances!_ Her parents were so paranoid that she wouldn't be surprised if they kept tinfoil hats in their closets.

"Yeah, right," she murmured, frowning at her blurry reflection in the window. "Once the bus driver gets a heart attack and drives us off a cliff in the process, then you'll wished you-"

"You're still angry about that, Mabes?" came a nonchalant voice. Dipper.

Mabel turned to face him. Her brother's face was fixed in his trademark expression: one cocked eyebrow, half lidded eyes, bit lip.

"What-no-maybe." Mabel looked at her boots. "I mean, I tried to tell them, Dip, that they could take the airline instead..."

"And they didn't listen," Dipper completed for her, a look of understanding coming into his eyes.

She sighed, her body sagging. Maybe she wasn't as angry at taking the bus as she was at not being taken seriously.

"Well, you can't stay being angry at them, Mabes," said her brother. "You gotta just keep going."

"I know that, Dip," Mabel lamented, "but-"

"You gotta _work_ for it. Force people to take you seriously."

"Maybe you're right," Mabel murmured, drawing the heels of her boots along the floor. _Easier said than done, though,_ she thought unhappily. One day she'd find somebody who _would_ take her seriously...not think she was just some silly little girl running her mouth...

"And anyway," Dipper said more enthusiastically, "we're on winter va- _cay!_ C'mon, Mabes!" He gave his sister, who was still rather down, a playful little nudge. "Snowmen, skiing, snowboarding, snow mobiles..." he listed out, counting each finger. "Snowballs! I heard Gravity Falls' got the _sickest-"_

The mere mention of Gravity Falls was enough to send Mabel through the roof.

"Don't forget the other 's', ya big dummy!" she gushed delightedly, grabbing her brother by the shoulders. "The _supernatural!"_

Dipper rolled his eyes, all too used to hearing his sister's prattling about the small town.

"Oh-right," he scoffed dryly. "Your favorite tv show."

Mabel cried out in exasperation and drew away from him. "Look, see, there you go again! Practice what you preach, why doncha?"

 _"What?"_

"You're not taking me _seriously!"_

Dipper groaned and fell on his back on the seat. "But they're not _real,_ Mabel. I keep telling you that the rumors about Gravity Falls"-he covered his weary face with his hand-"they're not _real."_

"Oh _yeah?"_ Mabel challenged him, crawling over and pinning the boy down with her knees. "Then explain to me the Anomaly of '82!"

Dipper's face contorted in pain at the feel of his sister's knees digging into his arms. "Get off me-Mabes-you're _hurting_ me-"

"When the citizens of Gravity Falls reported seeing a strange blue light in the sky!"

"You're messing up my shirt-" Dipper wheezed desperately. And it was his favorite one too-a blue t shirt with yellow sleeves and a star printed on the front.

"If you don't explain I'll _rip_ it!" Mabel threatened him.

"A _meteor!_ Get off me... _please!"_

The noise they were causing did not fail to escape the ear of the bus driver. "D'you want me to kick ya crazy kids off this bus?" he shouted at them over the roar of the engine. "Cause I can if ya keep that goddamn noise up!"

Mabel, who was still in her confrontational mood, was about to shoot back an angry retort when Dipper pulled her down and covered her mouth. She let out muffled grunts and cries while she struggled in his hold.

"Everything's fine, sir!" Dipper reassured the driver, his voice strained with the effort of keeping his sister at bay. "Just fine! Just-uh-sibling bickering, that's all!" He even threw in a little chuckle for extra effect.

The bus driver gave a low ' _humph'_ in answer and said no more.

"Okay, Mabel," Dipper whispered to his livid sister, who was still squirming like a large orange worm, "once I let go of you, don't shout out _any_ insults at the bus driver. You hear me?"

" _Mmm-hmm!"_ she growled, glaring at him resentfully.

Nodding slowly, Dipper took his hands off Mabel's arms and mouth. She scrabbled back up on the seat, gasping for the much needed air, and then sat down sulkily.

It was quiet between the twins for a moment. The bus roared on. After a while Dipper finally broke the spell and said to her, "Look, I'm sorry for being a jerk to you, Mabes."

Mabel side-eyed him, frowning. Not a single word came from her. Defeated, Dipper looked away from sister, his entire body heavy with guilt.

Taking note of her brother's mood, Mabel gazed at him sadly. _No, it wasn't his fault,_ she realized. _It was my dumb self's._

"No, _I'm_ sorry, Dip," she apologized shyly. "I-I was just being a big buttface towards you. Like I always am," the girl added quietly.

Dipper gave her a little smile. "It's okay," he answered gently. "And anyway I think you're a pretty chill person."

Mabel, grinning in satisfaction, scooted over and pulled her brother in for a tight hug.

"Oh no!" Dipper cried in mock fear as his sister rubbed her cheek against his. "The Mabel Smother of Doom! My only weakness!"

Giggling, Mabel soon let go of him and fell back. She gave a great yawn then and stretched her limbs.

"I'm tired," she said aloud, tucking her legs up. "I'm gonna sleep now. Or at least try to." The bus wailed loudly in answer.

"But you never get tired, Mabes! That's like physically impossible for you," Dipper gasped in disbelief as he watched Mabel curl up against the wall of the bus.

"I'm tired," she asserted, closing her eyes. "I'm gonna sleep forever."

"Good luck with that," answered her brother, grabbing his backpack and rummaging through its contents. "As for me, I'm gonna try to beat that boss battle..."

Smiling drowsily, Mabel fell asleep to the sound of a frustrated Dipper pushing buttons on his game console.

 _It's gonna be great..._ the girl thought as she spiraled deeper into slumber. Images of the forest, crawling with all sorts of fantastic creatures and phenomena flashed through her mind. _I just know it..._

"Mabes."

Mabel was vaguely aware of a finger poking her on the shoulder. Groaning, she hid her face in her long brown hair, muttering sleepy nothings.

"Mabes, c'mon!" The poking turned into light punches. "We're here!"

"At where?" Mabel slurred, rubbing her head, for she had suddenly developed a nasty headache.

 _"Gravity Falls!"_

Mabel was a stick of dynamite, and those words were the fuse. In a split second the girl got to her feet and ran down the aisle of the bus, squealing out, " _Ohboyohboyohboyohboy!"_

She jumped from the bus door and into the crisp, cold air. Her boots landed on the snow with a soft crunch. Practically shaking with excitement, Mabel stumbled out further and took in her surroundings.

The entire world looked as though a cloud had fallen from the sky. Regal redwoods, clad in white, loomed high above her head and into the icy blue sky. Rays of sunlight shone down onto the forest floor, dappling the ground with luminous specks and causing the icicles on the trees to shine. In the distance Mabel could see a small cabin crouching amid the snow drifts.

"It's so _beautiful_..." she breathed. Being from California Mabel had only got to see snow once or twice in her twelve years of life...but never like _this._ It _was_ like a dream...and what a dream it was!

 _And imagine all the stuff that's lying in the forest, Mabel! Just_ waiting _to be discovered._ Surely a place as gorgeous as this could be hiding the most juiciest of secrets….

"Mabel!" The familiar sound of Dipper calling out her name brought her back to the real world. Turning around, she felt a deep twinge of guilt at the sight of her brother dragging all the luggage off the bus. In her excitement she'd forgotten her stuff.

"Sorry, bro bro," she apologized hastily, running up to assist him. "I-I was just so..."

"It's fine," sighed Dipper, grabbing his briefcase. "I know you, Mabes-you always get caught up in the moment."

Flashing him a shy little smile, Mabel hefted her heavy backpack onto her shoulders and struggled towards the cabin.

She'd loaded it with all sorts of stuff. There were the basics: clothing, toothbrushes, what have you. But that wasn't all: Mabel had also packed the equipment she'd be needing for her investigations. Flashlights (she'd brought a dozen of them, better safe than sorry), several books on the supernatural, notebooks, pencils, video cameras...she'd made sure that she was be fully prepared. _If I'd ended up forgetting all that..._ Mabel shuddered, not even wanting to think about it.

The cabin seemed to be thousands of miles away; every muscle in Mabel's body screamed for her to collapse onto the snow. She swore that the load she was carrying was crushing her spine.

"That the place?" Dipper said, walking quite easily beside her.

"Y-yeah!" Mabel gasped, feeling her entire body quiver underneath the weight of her burden.

"Geez, Mabes," her brother observed. "It's like you're carrying a truck on your back."

"I'll survive," she grunted in answer.

"I'll pray for ya." Suddenly Dipper's attentions were directed to something else. "Oh...hey!" Well, someone.

Before Mabel could inquire about what was happening she suddenly bumped into something warm-and very large.

"That's a big load you got there, dude," said a great booming voice from above her. "Mind if I take that for you? I mean..."

Petrified with fright, Mabel looked up. Looking down at her was the most hugest man she'd ever seen in her entire life. He was clad in a fur rimmed parka, which only served to make him look more intimidating.

"...no hard feelings, dude, but you look you're gonna die of...hey?" Mabel had dropped her backpack and rushed to hide behind Dipper. She crouched behind him, shivering and whimpering.

The man looked at Dipper, a mixture of confusion and apprehension on his face. "What'd I do?"

"No, you're cool, you're cool..." he reassured him, putting a calming hand on his sister's shoulder. "Sorry, she's just _super_ shy."

"I didn't scare her, did I?" the man continued, his tone becoming considerably lighter. "Bet she thought I was a bear!" He chuckled, amused by this prospect.

Dipper grinned, his teeth shining in the morning light. "You'd make a pretty good bear, then. I like ya! What's your name?"

"Soos' the name, handyman's my game," the man introduced himself proudly with a stamp of his snow shovel. "And you are..." Soos began theatrically, gesturing to Dipper, "...uh...who are you?"

 _He's gonna show him his birthmark, and then he's gonna have him guess,_ Mabel predicted.

Dipper flipped up his bangs, a lofty smile on his face.

 _Called it._

"Woah...what is that?" Soos gasped. "A tattoo? Dude, you're already pretty high on my cool list!"

"Even better-it's a birthmark!" And then he added more suspensefully, "And it's my name, too."

 _Oh, great._ What was it with Dipper and his stupid pleasantries? She wanted to go inside already-the cold was killing her!

"Your name...it's...uh...Spoon! It's gotta be Spoon, right?" he guessed.

" _Close."_ Dipper's smile grew wider. Mabel resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Ladle! Uh...boat paddle!"

"You're getting warmer," her brother said with a wink. "Think of constellations."

"Oh man! Dude...you're making my mind doing all these weird thinking things! Hmm...wait a minute..." Soos' chubby face lit up as it finally dawned upon him. "Your birthmark...it's like the Big-"

 _"Dipper!"_ Mabel cut him off, finally losing her patience. Angrily she stomped past Dipper and Soos and to the cabin. "I have _no time_ for this!" she hissed under her breath.

"Wow, your sister's _good,_ dude." Soos watched her running towards the cabin, his eyes glowing with admiration. "How'd she do that?"

"Sorry about that," Dipper laughed, his sight on Mabel as well. "I guess we were holding her up." He ran after her then, Soos following suit.

"Don't forget about me!" he called after him. "I didn't even tell you my name yet!"

Mabel pushed past the door, a light jangle of bells announcing her arrival. She found herself standing in a small gift shop. It was quiet for the most part-a song she didn't know nor cared for droned on in the background.

 _Weird...why would Granpa Stan have a gift shop?_ Mabel bit her lip and frowned as she looked around. The shelves were fully stocked with all a variety of souvenirs. However, there didn't appear to be a single customer in sight. _I guess they're not open yet,_ Mabel concluded.

Funny. Certainly she hadn't expected his house to be a _business establishment._

"...so yeah, it was a pretty good gig." At the counter sat a rather scruffy looking teenager, donned in a gray beanie and red flannel. He was busy tuning his guitar as he was making his call. "Higher turn up than last time. I think we're getting out there..."

Mabel's heart pounded terribly. She'd only expected to see Grandpa Stan, not a bunch of... _strangers._

"...no kidding?" Dipper's voice came drifting up the cold air that was entering the shop. "Your name's really Jesus?"

"Really! I can turn water into wine, dude!" Soos and Dipper came walking in, deep in conversation. They had hit it off immediately. At the sight of them Mabel felt a small twinge of envy. Dipper could make friends with a rabid dog if he wanted to; she couldn't even approach a person without feeling the urge to faint.

"Well...not really," Soos added on a more forlorn note. "Wish I could though. I could become, like, famous! Get all the ladies!"

The guy at the counter gave a quick gesture. "Hey, would you guys mind closing the door? I'm getting massive chills in here."At the sight of Mabel and Dipper, who were now observing the shop, his eyes shone with recognition."Hey...uh...Lee, gonna have to call ya back. Pressing matters." Putting the phone down, he leaned forward on the countertop, once eyebrow arched cheekily.

"The old man's grandkids, right?" he asked, causing the twins to turn around from a bowl of gemstones they were inspecting. There was an air of carefreeness about him, which reminded Mabel so heavily of her brother. " _The_ grandkids, right? Stan the Man's?"

Dipper nodded cheerfully, his old energy gradually beginning to come back to him. "That's us! The name's Dipper. Like the constellation." He flipped his hair up again.

"Color me impressed. The Big Dipper...that's one helluva name, kid." He laughed as he and Dipper bumped fists. "Aw yeah, put em up! And how 'bout you?" The guy looked to Mabel with a friendly gleam in his eye. "What're you called?"  
Mabel tensed up at the question and looked down at her boots. She wanted nothing more than to disappear into the floor.

"Mabel," she practically whispered.

"Shy one, aren't you?" the teenager chuckled. "How old are you?"

"Twelve." Her voice was so small it was microscopic.

"Well, Mabel kid, you've got nothing to be afraid of. Name's Robbie," he said. "I'm not like other teenagers. I'm not gonna beat you up and eat your bones...well...on my good days anyway…."

The atmosphere in the shop was casual for the most part...and also incomplete. That could be attributed to a single problem: the absence of the master of the house.

"Where's Granpa Stan?" Dipper asked.

"Stan? He's up in his room," answered Robbie, pointing a guitar chip towards the stairs, "doing his research. He doesn't come out much actually."

The mention of 'research' made Mabel forget her shyness. "Research? What research?"

"On this town. He's determined to find out more about the paranormal shit that goes down here. It's pretty cool actually-"

The girl couldn't help it. A squeal of delight came tearing out of her mouth, which was enough to send Robbie almost falling back in his seat.

"She's _really_ cool, dude," Soos said to Dipper, who was facepalming. "Wish I could scream like that."

Mabel jumped onto the counter, her timid shell completely shed off. Robbie gripped his chair, frazzled by the girl's unexpected burst of energy.

" _HE RESEARCHES THAT?"_ Mabel cried. " _YOUHAVETOTELLMEMOREPLEASEPLEASE-"_

" _Dang!_ Is that what fires you up, Mabel kid?" Robbie laughed. "Alright, well...I dunno. He keeps track of the weird stuff that happens in Gravity Falls. If he needs to he does field work...and by that I mean he kicks monster ass-"

Another squeal. Mabel lay down on the countertop, trembling wildly, as though she had seen some great vision.

 _My grandpa-investigator and hunter of the paranormal? WHY HADN'T I KNOWN THIS UNTIL NOW?_ This break was turning out even better than before. Perhaps she wouldn't be alone in her investigations, not when she could have her grandpa assist her! Oh, the possibilities were _endless!_

"Where's my backpack? _I have to show him!"_ She jumped off the counter and searched for it desperately. "I have to show him my _work!"_

"Calm your jets, dude," Dipper said, pushing the backpack towards her. "It's right here."

"I have to show him," Mabel vowed with the deepest of paced back in forth, caught up in grand fantasies. "I can see it now-Mabel and Stan, investigators of the unknown! We'll be a team! _The greatest! Nothing_ can stop us!"

"I don't know if-" Dipper began, but he was interrupted.

Heavy footsteps and the creaking of wooden steps could be heard, causing Soos and Robbie to stand up straighter. Dipper caught Mabel by the white hood of her jacket and stopped her in her tracks.

Stanley Pines haughtily walked into the gift shop, looking very irritated indeed. Mabel drew a breath, both impressed and frightened by his presence. He was the most imposing man that she'd ever seen, and for all intents and purposes looked like someone who fought monsters in his free time.

"Oh, hey Mr. Pines!" Soos greeted him as he strode into the room.

"Keep the noise down, would you," he snapped to Robbie and Soos. "I'm on the edge of my latest breakthrough and I can't afford-"

He cut off his sentence when he noticed his grandchildren, who were looking up at him as though he were a particularly impressive skyscraper.

"Oh-uh, right," he began awkwardly, scratching the nape of his neck. "Grandkids. I forgot."

"Hey, Granpa Stan!" Dipper began, stepping forward. "I'm Dipper and-"

Mabel did not hesitate-she was on her grandfather in an instant. " _TELLMEWHATYOUDOIHAVETOKNOWIRESEARCHTHESAMETHINGSYOUDOI'VEEVENGOTMYNOTESANDEVERYTHINGTOPROVEIT-"_ Taken aback by his granddaughter's relentless stream of questions, he could do nothing but hold her up by the hood of her coat and shake her a little-as though that would keep her quiet. A very excited Mabel still continued to ramble on.

"Robbie?" Stanley called to his clerk, sounding very confused indeed. "What am I-what's _happening-"_

 _"-IKNOWEVERYTHINGABOUTTHESTUFFYOURESEARCHI'VEREADUPONALLTHEPHENOMENAANDTHECREATURESANDTHISTOWNANDYOUHAVETOSEEMYWORK-"_

"Remember what I taught you, Mr. Pines," Robbie told him. "Hug 'em. We've _rehearsed_ this."

"Right..." He placed Mabel back onto the floor. She was still firing off words like there was no tomorrow. Awkwardly Stanley bowed down and took Mabel into his arms, obviously not used to dealing with children.

For a second Mabel looked awestruck. Then she was hugging her grandfather back, giggling all the while, even rubbing her cheek against his chest.

"Well..." Stanley stood up, Mabel still clinging onto him. "Now that's done." He nodded to Dipper, who was grabbing his luggage. "I've got a room for you kids upstairs. Make yourselves at home."


	2. Chapter 2

The room that Mabel and Dipper were sleeping in was large enough to house two separate beds, not unlike their bedroom back home. However, the place reeked of wet wood and mildew-not exactly a comfy smell. The rafters on the ceiling were covered in patches of mold and strewn with cobwebs.

"Well, this isn't a high class hotel, that's for sure," said Dipper, immediately running to the left bed. "I call this one!" he declared, leaping onto the mattress and jumping on it happily.

"Then that leaves me this one," Mabel panted, groaning as she dragged her backpack to the side of her bed. She was still eager to show Granpa Stan her notes. However, from what she'd seen earlier of him, he seemed like the kind of person who did not like being interrupted in his studies.

"Okay..." The girl muttered, opening her backpack and taking out her essentials. "First thing's first...gotta personalize my space..."

Dipper was already setting about decorating his side of the room. He had already tacked up posters of his favorite boxers and was now making his bed. His punching bag, which he'd gotten for his birthday, stood behind it.

Mabel started to set up her bulletin board, humming all the while. This was where she'd tack on her notes and any other findings.

"Excellent." Mabel grinned. _Think I'll search the forest today-get a head start._ She hadn't slept very well for God knew how long, but the girl couldn't let that stop her...not when there were so many secrets in the forest just waiting to be discovered!

"Imma just relax," sighed Dipper, throwing himself onto his bed. "Man...I'm so tired I can't think."

"Well, _I'm_ going out into the forest," Mabel said loftily. "I'm gonna see what's lying in there."

A look of alarm came into Dipper's face. "Seriously, Mabes?" he gasped, incredulous. "I mean...there could be bears or something-"

"It's their hibernation season, you dingle dongle," she scoffed. "I'm not worried."

"Wolves, then!"

"Wolves stay away from humans. I'm not worried about that either." Mabel ran over to the triangular window and looked outside. The glass was misted over with frost, but she could see well enough into the forest outside. Excitement shot through her veins as she took in the sight.

"I'm gonna explore _every inch of it,"_ she vowed.

There was a creak as Dipper got off the bed. "Mabel, _come on._ Mom and Dad wouldn't like that, you know. They told me _specifically_ to keep you from going in there."

Mabel's hands closed in anger. _So what?_ the girl thought scornfully. Her parents weren't here, now, were they? How would they know that she'd went out into the forest? She turned around slowly, her face glowering.

"I'm going out there whether they like it or not, Dipper," the girl said coldly. "And you can't stop me."

Although the room was cold from the winter air outside, the tension that was rising between the siblings was heating up.

" _Mabel."_ Dipper said, an edge to his voice. "You're not going. If Mom and Dad hear that you've been going out, then Granpa Stan'll have to send us back!"

"So _what?"_ Mabel spat furiously. "I don't care! If I end up dying then _that's just too damn bad, now, is it?"_

Seething with rage, the girl stomped past Dipper and down the stairs. She could hear his brother call after her desperately but she didn't bother to heed it.

Plans of all sorts ran through Mabel's mind. _I'll cut off the phone line...I'll throw his cell phone into the lake. There's NO way I'll let him stop me. NOTHING'S GONNA GET IN MY WAY!_

" _Nothing, nothing, nothing!"_ she snarled with each stomp of her boot. In the miasma of her anger the girl didn't realize that Granpa Stan was directly in her path. With a squeak she collided into his stomach.

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, YOU BIG POOPHEAD!" Mabel snapped at him. She let out a terrified mewl when she saw who it was. "I-I mean, um, s-sorry, Granpa Stan," she quickly corrected herself. The girl had never felt so stupid in her entire life like she did now.

"What's going on in there?" Stanley questioned her firmly, folding his arms. "What's with all the shouting?"

"It's my stupid brother, Granpa Stan," she pouted. "He won't let me go out into the forest. I'm so angry I could just...I could..." She buried her face into her orange sleeves and let out a muffled scream.

Granpa Stanley crouched down, frowning at her. "The forest?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. "What for?"

"To investigate! I have to see if the rumors about Gravity Falls are true!" Drawing in a trembling breath, she began to explain herself."I'm trying to see if this place really is a hotbed for the supernatural! I'm even armed to the teeth! I've read up on everything I could find about this place, I've brought a bajillion flashlights and a map and a dozen video cameras just in case I..."

Mabel felt a gloved hand clasp her shoulder, silencing her.

"Investigating..." Stanley scrutinized her, his expression clearly full of interest. "And you're saying that you're trying to find out about the paranormal happenings here?"

"Yeah!" Mabel nodded eagerly. They were getting somewhere!

"That's exactly what I'm doing as well. If I could-"

"I can become your partner, Granpa Stan!" Mabel piped up. "We could investigate together and compare our results and piecethingstogetherandandand-"

 _"If I could,_ Mabel, I would," Stanley interrupted her firmly. "If you were older, perhaps. My line of work is very dangerous-incredibly dangerous," he tried to explain to his granddaughter, whose face was beginning to fall. "I can't afford to endanger a child. You know very well that your parents would become extremely angry with me if I let anything happen to you."

"What?" Mabel's voice cracked, and streams of tears began to run down her cheeks. "B-but...but I _prepared..."_

"Look..." sighed Granpa Stan, having never been confronted with a crying child. Awkwardly he put an arm around his granddaughter's trembling shoulders. "If it comforts you, I'll let you help out with analyzing any evidence I end up collecting during my investigations. I'll assume you've gathered quite a bit of knowledge from the books you've read."

Mabel looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "R-really?" she whispered.

 _Maybe it's not going out into the forest, but..._ Getting to see and analyze what her grandfather collected from his outings wasn't that all that bad, either. The things she could learn...the things that she could see...

But then again, that could never really replace the thrill of going out into the woods, the thrill of adventure...Mabel lived for that every waking day of her life, her parents be damned.

"Okay," she relented. "That's cool, too."

"When you grow old enough, Mabel, I'll let you join me. When I was your age..." he told her, "...I felt very much the same way. But I waited, and now here I am. It takes patience."

Mabel's mouth curled up in a small smile. Maybe he was right...it wouldn't really hurt to wait, right?

Granpa Stanley got up then, adjusting his glasses. "I'll show you a tour of the lab later," he said, leaving to resume his work. "In the meantime...well...entertain yourself."

A very bored Mabel was busying herself looking through the racks of shirts on the walls. She was still bitterly disappointed that she couldn't go out into the forest like she'd been planning to...but getting to be Granpa Stan's lab assistant was a nice recompense.

Mabel heard the chattering of Dipper and Soos as they came into the gift shop. The anger from earlier coming back to her, Mabel grit her teeth and concentrated more intensely on the shirts.

"...I got that guy totally good! He never bothered me again. A little knowledge of pranks goes a long way," Dipper gloated happily.

"Dude, that's _awesome,"_ Soos replied admiringly. "I tried to prank this guy once too, when I was a kid. I think I was mad at him or something. Anyway that didn't, uh, go over very well."

"Sup, Mabes?" Dipper greeted her.

Mabel chose to ignore the jerk instead. Coldly she moved on to observe the hats.

The girl could tell that Dipper was trying to find something to say to her, anything to mend the rift that had now opened between them, but he decided against it and just sighed, defeated.

"So, yeah," Dipper went on, sounding considerably more somber this time, "that sounds rough, man..."

A blast of cold air came charging into the room as the door swung open. Robbie stood in the threshold, holding a bunch of signs underneath a tattooed arm.

"Hey, so the old man asked me to nail up these signs to the trees," he announced to the occupants of the gift shop, "but I'm short on time. Being in a band means being punctual, y'know? Anyway, I was wondering if-"

Mabel, seeing the opportunity, seized it at once. "I'll do it!" she volunteered, rushing up to Robbie. "I'll get it done in no time."

"I'll leave to you, then, Mabel kid." Robbie ruffled her hair and gave her a wink, which for some strange reason made the girl's spine tingle. "I know you're up to the task. I trust you with my _life."_

Dipper, who had apparently also seen the opportunity as well, said, "I'm coming with you, Mabes."

Mabel whipped around, glaring at him mutinously. However, her brother's mind was set. Letting out a loud sigh, she took the signs from Robbie, murmured a thanks, and stepped out onto the porch.

Dipper followed her. Together, the two twins ventured out into the forest.

The silence between them was vast. Mabel pretended that he wasn't there at all and instead drank in the sights and scenery of Gravity Falls. Redwood trees surrounded her on all sides-never had she felt so small like she did right now. They leaped over a frozen brook and surmounted a frozen log, an exposed root now and then.

Mabel's blood was beginning to rise. Every fiber of her being urged her to drop the signs and just _explore._ But she could feel her brother's gaze on her back, taking into account her every move, and this only served to anger her further.

"We should nail one there," Dipper pointed out. "You can see it easily."

"Sure," Mabel said tersely, running over to the tree. Infuriatingly she could hear her brother coming after her.

Sulkily she nailed the sign to the tree. _One down,_ she told herself, _a gazillion more to go. Oh, I hate this..._ If Dipper wasn't here, then she'd be truly free to explore. _But no, you just had to tag along with me!_ she thought bitterly.

"Look, Mabel," Dipper sighed, sensing her resentful feelings, "I'm not trying to be a jerk to you, okay?"

"Yeah, well, you sure acted like one back there," Mabel grumbled, nailing up another sign." She ran over to the next tree, eager to be rid of his presence.

"Just listen to me, would you?" Dipper called after her. "It's not me, okay? It's Mom and Dad." He came up to his sister's side, catching his breath. "Real talk, if it was up to me then I _would_ let you go out into the forest. But I _can't."_

Mabel's eyes flashed with a newfound vitality. "Then let me," she urged him. "Mom and Dad aren't here. We'll just lie about it when we come back. Us against them."

"Mabel, just because _you_ disobey them all the time doesn't mean _I_ have to!" Dipper burst out. Immediately he regretted what he said, for Mabel left him showered in snow. Exasperated, he ran after her.

 _"_ Mabel!"

 _"Just leave me alone!"_

Seeing red, Mabel grabbed another sign, slammed it violently against the trunk of a redwood, and drove the nail in.

She didn't expect being sent stumbling back and falling right into the snow. Her entire body trembling from the reverberation, Mabel got to her feet and stared at the tree, her brow creasing. All of the rage had left her, instead being replaced with a burning curiosity.

"Weird..." The girl looked to the trunk, then to the crumpled nail on the ground. There was no way a tree trunk could be _that_ strong, unless...

Mabel raised a fist and gave the trunk a knock. It gave off a metallic, hollow sound.

"Mabel?" Dipper was behind her now. "What are you-"

The girl shushed him and continued to investigate the tree. To her surprise, she found a small silver handle winking at her in the sunlight.

 _No wonder the tree sounded hollow,_ Mabel realized, her heart beginning to pound. _It's a door!_

So there _was_ a whole treasure trove of secrets in this forest. With not the slightest bit of hesitation Mabel swung it open.

Inside the trunk was some sort of console. By the looks of it the device hadn't be operated, let alone touched, for decades.

"What _is_ that?" Dipper breathed, just as engrossed as she was.

Mabel leaned in with narrowed eyes, sweeping the dust and cobwebs off the console. "I don't know," she murmured. "But it seems to operate something."

There were buttons on this thing, but the functions they performed were completely nebulous.

"Let me see," she murmured, reaching out to press one.

"Mabel!" Dipper exclaimed. "Are you crazy? We don't know what that does!"

"Doesn't hurt to try," answered Mabel shortly, pushing another one. Suddenly a loud clunk and hiss sounded behind them.

The twins both gave a start. Dazed, they turned around.

"Check _that_ out." Dipper pointed to a hole that had appeared in the snow. "That wasn't there before."

Mabel slowly walked up to the hole and peered over the edge. What she saw in there made her gasp. There, lying in the dark, moist soil was a dusty old book...but totally unlike any other book she'd seen before.

"What is it?" Dipper inquired from beside the tree. "It's not a booby trap or something, is it?"

"It's a book," Mabel answered, reaching in to take it out. She held it aloft for her brother to see.

"Who'd put a book in _there?"_ Dipper snorted, pulling off his signature skeptical frown. "I mean, a briefcase with loads of cash, maybe, but a _book?"_

"Must be a really important book then," Mabel observed, sounding very calm, but in truth her heart was bursting at the seams. She felt as though she were standing at the edge of a great canyon, looking into the unknown.

She had _discovered_ something. Something truly big. That she was certain of.

Her hands shaking, Mabel blew the dust off the old tome. It was a very beautiful book, bound in dark mahogany leather and embellished with gold. What stood out the most, however, was the symbol emblazoned on the front: a six fingered hand, with the number one written in the center.

 _A number..._ Mabel traced the stroke, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. A number...certainly there had to be other books like this somewhere, why else would you write a number on the cover?

She opened it and flipped through the old and yellowy pages. Her heart gave a lurch at the contents.

"Moon sprites, fairies, ghosts, werewolves...this must be an index on the creatures here! Aw, _criminy!_ Dipper!" she gasped excitedly to her brother. "You've gotta check this out-"

The book fell into the snow with a soft crunch.

Mabel could do nothing but stare, her stomach in her throat.

And Dipper was staring straight back at her, his eyes wide as saucers, his hands closed into tight fists, and his face as white as the snow on the ground.

 _Mabel,_ he mouthed. Then a quick flit of irises to the left.

Standing next to Dipper was perhaps the devil itself-a great wolf with blazing red eyes, as tall as half of a redwood and with fur blacker than the night. There was something both ghostly and fleshly about it, something both living and dead.

Whatever the state this creature was in, one thing was for certain-it was going to kill them.


	3. Chapter 3

Mabel was at a loss.

She had no idea whether to run away or stand perfectly still. Trying to make a hasty escape would only provoke the creature and give chase after them. Staying put, on the other hand, really would accomplish nothing; it was inevitable, anyway, that the wolf was going to attack them.

 _So this is it_ , thought Mabel, feeling numb. _Only one day into winter vacation, and we're going to get killed._

Guilt and fear were the two dominant emotions in her mind at the moment. She was feeling especially guilty because of how selfish she'd been acting today, especially towards Dipper. He really was only trying to protect her. If it wasn't for the situation they were currently in at the moment then she'd apologizing to him with all her heart.

Or maybe she never would.

Mabel looked to the wolf again. It looked especially black contrasted again the fresh white of the snow. Even stranger, however, was that its fur seemed to be streaming off its body, fading away wispily into the air.

Slowly the beast swiveled its head from left to right, from Mabel to Dipper, its gaze menacing and scrutinizing. Razor sharp teeth, which looked very capable of grinding them to a pulp, glittered in its dark mouth.

At the sight of them Mabel felt faint. All sorts of horrific scenarios blazed through her mind. She imagined her brother, screaming for her to save her as those teeth crushed his head and sent steaming blood spilling onto the ground, melting the snow….

Bile burned at the back of Mabel's throat. _No, I can't throw up-no, please._ Any sudden movements or sounds would surely spell death for her and Dipper.

With a heartwrenching movement the black wolf whipped its head back to Mabel. Those evil red eyes burned into her very soul. The creature opened its mouth, and in it there it was like the darkest of caves.

"No," she whispered, her voice nearly inaudible. A horrible dread crept over her-already Mabel could feel the jaws closing in on her, the teeth sinking into her flesh.

Her heart was beating with all the strength it could possibly muster, as though it knew that the end was coming. Mabel squeezed her eyes shut and contemplated on death...would there be pain at first? Would everything fade to black? Would her entire life flash before her eyes?

She was due to start seventh grade next year, along with her brother. Her parents were already talking about funding her and Dipper's college education. But perhaps those plans would never come to fruition for either of the twins….

 ** _"PINES…"_** came the reply.

Mabel's eyes flashed open in shock.

 _Pines?!_ she thought, baffled. She looked at the redwoods-surely it was referring to those? But why?

 ** _"PINES…"_** the wolf repeated, and this time Mabel knew that it was unmistakably referring to them. Whenever it spoke she felt as though her entire body was being plunged into icy water. **_"I HAVE BEEN EXPECTING YOU."_**

Expecting them? What has happening? The last time Mabel checked holding a meeting with a wolf wasn't anywhere on her list.

Dipper looked at her helplessly. She felt the weight of expectation on her shoulders now; he wanted her to do something, anything.

 ** _"HAVE YOU NOTHING TO SAY IN YOUR DEFENSE?"_** the black wolf demanded of her.

This question gave Mabel the courage she needed to speak out.

"Who are you?!" she cried. "How do you know who were are?!"

Dipper's head jolted in shock. "Mabel-what are you _doing?"_ he hissed at her, his voice high with fright. "Are you _crazy?!"_

 ** _"I KNOW A PINES WHEN I SEE ONE, CHILD,"_** growled the wolf-creature. **_"LORD CIPHER INFORMED_** **_ME OF YOUR PRESENCE."_**

This answer only prompted a thousand more questions, but Mabel spoke the one that was tormenting her the most. "Lord Cipher?"

 _"Mabel-"_ Dipper began again, but his sister held up a silencing finger.

 ** _"HE IS THE RULER OF THIS FOREST,"_** answered the wolf, a note of reverence in its voice, ** _"AND I AM HIS SUBJECT. HE HAS SENT ME HERE FOR A REASON, AND ONE REASON ONLY."_**

Every muscle in Mabel's body turned to stone. Her fear was beginning to cloud her mind now, grip her by the throat.

Her brother whimpered from beside her, for he knew just as well as she did what that reason was.

 ** _"TO KILL YOU."_**

The next thing Mabel knew she was screaming for her brother to run, as fast as you could, get away from here or they'd feel death at the jaws of the beast-

The forest became a blur. Mabel ran the fastest she ever had in her entire life, brambles and roots tearing at her legs. She felt a sharp burst of pain as a thorn slashed her cheek, sending warm blood streaming from the wound, but she was far too blinded by terror to acknowledge it.

She could sense Dipper running beside her, doing his very best to keep up with her pace. She was aware of the wolf behind them as well, although it made no sound. In fact, the chase was nearly silent, save for the sound of shoes striking the snow and rapid breath coming out of mouths.

Hours seemed to pass. The snow was beginning to pick up, with large white flakes swirling and melting onto Mabel's face, which was already wet from sweat.

She shot Dipper a swift glance. To her horror, he was beginning to tire.

She wanted to cry out to him, press him on, but that would only serve to excite the creature further.

And yet Dipper was starting to lag behind...

"Dipper," she screamed, in spite of the danger, "Dipper, _faster!"_

A great roar, full of fury, tore into the air, shaking the very icicles off trees.

 _Run,_ instinct told her. _Hide._

"I _can't!"_ Her brother wailed plaintively.

 _Have to distract it. Think, Mabel, think!_

Desperately she scoured the forest around her, trying to seek whatever shelter, anywhere that would keep them safe, or at the very least, buy them time, perhaps enough so that somebody would come rescue them. Hopefully...

And then she saw it: a crevasse in the snow. Thinking quickly, Mabel grabbed her brother, soliciting a cry of shock from him, and leapt with all her might into the basin.

The twins tumbled down the slope, gasping as snow built up into their mouths and clogged their eyes. Mabel could hear the wolf howl in frustration in the distance. Whether it was going to continue to give chase, she didn't know.

The rolling seemed to last for countless hours as well, but thankfully it came to a dizzying end.

Catching her breath, Mabel got to her knees. Her entire body was aching from their trip down the slope-she shook clumps of snow free from her hair and coat. The world became eerily quiet.

"Dipper?" She shook her brother gently, who was still curled up on the ground. "Dipper, I think we're safe."

In answer Mabel received a low groan.

"Dipper?" she prompted again, giving her brother another shake. He curled up tighter, shivering.

The girl bit her lip in concern. Something wasn't right...but what?

"Dipper..." she murmured again, shaking him more desperately. "What's wrong?"

Then at that moment, she caught something red in the corner of her eye. Mabel turned around, and what she saw made her breath stop.

A streak of blood, violently scarlet against the white, was running down the hillside.

 _"No,"_ she cried out, seeing the very same blood beginning to puddle under his brother's side. Those visions of Dipper dying at the jaws of the beast came back to her, in all their terrible glory

Dipper looked to her with glazed eyes and raised a trembling hand, as though he were trying to reach her.

Mabel whimpered, her voice cracking. "Dipper...hang on, _please."_ She wrapped her arms around her brother's still warm body, tears blurring her vision. "I'll help you, I'll find a way, I _promise-"_

A roar came up; the wolf had returned, and clearly with a vengeance. Mabel lamented at the sound, her wail rising into the reddening sky.

 _We're going to die,_ the girl realized despairingly, as she heard the growls of the wolf creature become louder and louder as it drew near. _We're going to die, and...and it's all my fault..._

 ** _"IT IS FINISHED, PINES,"_** snarled the wolf, its voice resonating with a terrible finality. It was close now. **_"NO LONGER SHALL YOU POSE A RISK TO LORD CIPHER'S PLANS."_** The wolf opened its jaws over the two quavering children, its teeth hanging only inches above their head. Mabel, knowing that their fate was sealed, began to weep.

The wolf raised its head. Mabel could hear the sound of its teeth swishing down on her and her brother, coming to crush their skulls.

She pressed her lips into Dipper's damp hair, bracing herself for impact-

 _CRACK_

-except it never came.

Instead a howl of anguish tore from the wolf's mouth. Whining in pain, the wolf stumbled away from the pair.

Mabel turned around, utterly shocked. The creature was tending to a tear-it looked as though somebody had cut through a cloud. Wisps of its body floated and then dissipated into the air.

Mabel drew a breath, not sure whether to feel relieved or dreading the chance that it could try to kill them again.

Another question tugged at her mind, too- _who had done this?_

The answer appeared shortly afterward, in the form of two large boots crunching in the snow and standing in front of the twins protectively.

 _"Leave them, wraith,"_ Granpa Ford commanded the creature, his voice so menacing that it sent a chill down Mabel's spine. "They are not involved in this."

Judging from the wolf's-or wraith's-hiss, it was clearly advancing on him. There was another ear splitting crack, however, and it sent the wolf running into the twilight.

A period of tense silence followed. Mabel buried her face into her brother's chest, whimpering in relief.

"T-thank you, Granpa Ford!" she said gratefully. "I thought that-"

 _"Quiet,"_ Granpa Ford hushed her sharply. "You don't want it to come back, do you?" His eyes immediately flashed down to Dipper. "He got bitten, didn't he?" he murmured grimly.

"I-I don't know if he's going to make it." Mabel ran a finger along her brother's cheek-his face was becoming white, and his skin felt unnaturally warm. So warm, in fact, that sweat was streaming down his forehead.

Mabel bit her lip, a feeling of worry coming over her.

"Well, we'd better be quick, then," said Granpa Ford. "Out here in the snow he won't stand a chance."

He crouched down and unfurled his scarf from around his neck. He wrapped it tightly around Dipper's waist so that it would staunch the bleeding. The boy groaned, his spine arching painfully.

"That'll do for the moment," Granpa Ford muttered, slowly picking the boy up. "Come on, Mabel."

He carried Dipper back to the cabin, Mabel stumbling after them. Her entire body was laden with guilt.

 _He could die,_ Mabel, a voice scolded her angrily. _He could be taken away from you anytime, and you treated him like crap!_

The girl kicked the snow, furious with herself. It was all because of her selfish actions...and that stupid journal...now she didn't even want to think about it.

Mabel stared at the poster on Dipper's wall, feeling numb.

"He's running a bad fever," Granpa Ford observed quietly, looking at the thermometer. And indeed, the pillow that Dipper's head was resting on was dark with sweat. His breath was shallow and ragged.

"He'll be okay, right, Mr. Pines?" It was Soos. He was standing by Dipper's bed, looking worried.

"I-I don't know," he admitted. "Shadow wraith venom is quite potent...I can't see him getting past the one hour mark without treatment." He pressed a hand gently onto the boy's burning forehead. "The problem, though…" he muttered, his voice barely audible, as though he were denying it, "...is that…."

Silence fell upon the room then.

"You don't know the treatment, do you," Mabel said suddenly, her voice as cold as ice.

Soos, sensing the rising tension in the room, was quick to speak up. "I can go get some ice packs for him, Mr. Pines," he offered helpfully.

"Yes...that would be wonderful, Soos," Granpa Ford sighed, dismissing him tiredly.

He then closed his eyes, suddenly looking as though he hadn't slept for a lifetime. "I-no, Mabel," he continued, "I do, but…."

"But _what?"_ Mabel pressed on testily. "Can't you just go _find_ it? Don't you have it written in one of your notebooks or-"

"It's-it's not that simple, Mabel. I don't-"

Upon hearing his answer the girl exploded; whatever feelings of admiration she had for him earlier were thrown straight out of the window.

"What do you mean, don't? You don't what?" she cried angrily, grabbing Ford's arm roughly.

"Mabel-"

"You'd rather just sit around and do nothing and let him _die?"_

"The data-"

"Aren't you a scientist? You should have notes for this kind of stuff! You should be prepared!" Mabel sobbed, shaking her grandfather harder.

 _"The data, Mabel-"_

"How would you feel if it was _your_ own brother, huh?" she cried. "You wouldn't be spouting out all that crap about-"

This had apparently struck a chord somewhere within the old man, for a sudden change came over him. His sullen face turned steely as he grabbed his granddaughter by the shoulders. Mabel whimpered as she felt his fingers dig into her shoulders.

"I don't have the _data_ , Mabel!" he shouted. "I _lost_ it! I lost it _half a decade_ ago!"

Mabel shriveled in her grandfather's hold and began to keen in terror. Seeing this, Ford softened and put the girl down, ashamed at what he had just done.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you like that," he apologized, drawing in a trembling breath. "And hurting you. I-I should've known better than to do that."

Mabel looked up at him through her curtain of hair. Her watery eyes shone in the fading light.

"It's okay," she whispered faintly. She wiped her nose and sat on the floor, hugging her legs. "But how did you lose it?" Mabel asked, her voice a bit louder.

"I lost it-well, no...it was _stolen_ from me five years ago. Along with a whole slew of data and evidence I'd been gathering for the past several years or so…."

The girl shuffled closer to him, clearly interested.

"They were in these journals," Granpa Stan continued to explain, his voice distant. "Three of them, to be exact. Well, I think there were...it's been a while, you know, and my memory's going…."

Wait a second….

 _Journals?_

In an instant Mabel's mind hearkened back to today's earlier events. In light of the wraith attack she'd completely forgotten them. When she was nailing signs onto trees with Dipper...they had been arguing...no...that was too painful to even think of, especially right now.

She tried to stifle those memories and instead jumped to when she had found that console inside the tree, and how a hole had opened in the ground when she had activated it.

 _In that hole was a book,_ recalled Mabel. _It had a hand and number on it…._

"What did they look like?" she inquired abruptly.

Ford blinked at her in surprise. "Looked like…?"

 _"What did they look like?"_

"Brown, with gold emblazons. Had numbers on it, and…" He held his hand up, and to Mabel's everlasting shock it had six fingers-just like the book. "My handprint."

Mabel's eyebrows arched as everything dawned upon her. She sat up straighter, looking off in the direction of the window.

 _The book...the book!_

Almost instinctively the girl got to her feet and began to make her way towards the door.

"Mabel-? _Mabel!_ Where are you _going?"_ Ford called after her, and before Mabel could make her exit he grabbed her by the arm.

"Let go of me-I have to-the _forest!"_

"The _forest?_ Mabel, you are not going out into the forest, and that's _final!_ In fact, right after this is all over-"

Little by little the tiny girl squirmed her way out. "Something in the forest!"

"Mabel, are you _hearing_ yourself? You'll only get yourself _killed!_ That thing could still be prowling around- _MABEL!"_

She had escaped him and was now making her way out into the woods at breakneck speed. Mabel tore through the gift shop, sending several customers crying out in shock and stumbling out of the way. She burst out through the doorway and into the cold air. It hit her like a steamroller, but the girl paid little attention to it. Her mind was only focused on that book.

 _"MABEL!"_ she heard her grandfather bellow faintly from behind her. Determinedly Mabel quickened her pace. She was going to find that book, wraith be damned! Surely it had to hold the answer on how to save Dipper...

The girl skid to a stop in a familiar clearing, frantically looking around for the place where she had uncovered the strange tome. She could hear Granpa Ford's footsteps growing louder.

"Where is it, _where is it…"_ Her stomach lurched when she spotted a glimmer of mahogany in the snow. "There it is!"

In one swift move she swiped it and ran back towards her grandfather, holding the book aloft.

"This is unexcusable, Mabel!" Ford scolded her as he stomped through the snow. "Completely unexcusable! I'll have to call your... _paaareen_ …." His voice trickled off the moment he laid eyes on the object his granddaughter was holding. He adjusted his glasses, trying to assess whether what he was seeing was truly real or not.

"Was this what you were talking about?" asked Mabel.

"That's…." Ford sank to his knees, looking as though a great angel had landed before him. _"That's the…."_

"Is this the journal, Granpa Ford?"

The stunned silence from her grandfather gave Mabel all the answers she would ever need.


	4. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**Hey everyone!**

 **TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY SORRY for the lack of updates on GR. I've been busy with a lot of bullshit as of late (school, college, etc) and also general laziness which is why it hasn't updated for a long while.**

 **Working on the 4th chapter right now, will put it up soon**


	5. Chapter 4

They returned to the cabin with little trouble. Ford had managed to scare away the shadow wraith...if only for a while.

"Where did you find it?" her grandfather asked her as they both went up the stairs and back to the bedroom.

"I-It was weird, Granpa Ford," said Mabel. "I was nailing signs to trees when I found this one tree. It felt really hard, not like a normal one, so I looked around it and then I saw a door on the trunk…."

"So you've found the hiding place," murmured Ford. "Not good, not good...if you could find it then so could they…."

Mabel averted her eyes from grandfather in guilt. "I'm really sorry…" she began.

Ford put a reassuring hand on the small girl's shoulder. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, Mabel. In fact, I think you helped me out a little."

As they traversed up the stairs Mabel looked up at Ford with glittering eyes. "Really…?"

"I'll have to try to seek out a better hiding place next time, of course. You helped me out there." He sucked on his upper lip for a moment. "Actually...the fact that you've found it at all is quite impressive. I tried to have it so it would be near impossible for anyone to find except me. You're very inquisitive."

 _Inquisitive._ The corners of Mabel's mouth lifted as she beamed in delight. Inquisitive. She liked the sound of it.

Grandfather and granddaughter pushed through the door; Dipper was still in his bed, looking as white as the snow outside, with a worried Soos tending to him. Robbie was there as well-he was kneading the front of his shirt.

He raised his head in acknowledgement when he saw them. "Yo, where were you guys? I was getting worried sick."

"Oh, there's nothing to worry about, Robbie," said Ford. "In fact, we have some good news."

The teenager smiled exhaustedly. "Shit, that's just what we need right now, man," he sighed, looking at Dipper with a deep concern on his face. "Poor Dipkid here's been looking worse for wear."

"Well, we found something that might as well fix all of our problems!" Stan declared pridefully, and to back up his claims Mabel held the dusty journal for all to see.

"Wow!" Soos stared at the book in awe. "...What is it?"

To Mabel's surprise a spark of recognition flared up in Robbie's eyes. "Holy...is that one of the journals you mentioned before, Mr. Pines?" He crouched down to get a closer look. "Damn...I thought you hid em away!"

"Right you are, Robbie, right you are...but a certain someone here found it." Proudly he gestured to his granddaughter.

The teenager looked to the small girl, who was trembling with excitement. "Really, Mabel kid? You found one of fabled journals?"

"I just stumbled onto it!" Mabel told an amazed Robbie happily. "I was nailing this sign to a tree, and then…." Suddenly memories of the attack came crashing back to her, slicing vividly through her mind like the jaws of the wraith. Her voice trailed off into a haunted silence.

"Mabel kid?" Robbie looked to her with concern, but before he could say anything else a groan issued from Dipper's bed.

"There's no time to waste," Ford said briskly. "Every second we spend standing here will bring Dipper an inch closer towards death. Mabel, hand me the journal, would you?"

Quickly she did and immediately she ran to her brother's side. He was looking even worse than before-a sickly veneer of sweat coated his skin, soaking the pillow underneath. His breath was coming out in short, labored wheezes.

 _He could die,_ thought Mabel, nausea creeping over her as she realized the true gravity of the situation. _He could die, and it would be all my fault…._

"Shadow wraiths, shadow wraiths…" Ford muttered as he flipped through the pages. "I'm certain I wrote about them in here...come on...come on…." Listening to that made Mabel's veins run icy cold. What if it wasn't in there? "...aha!" Heart jolting, Mabel looked to her grandfather instantly.

Ford began to recite. "There's only one known cure for shadow wraith bites, and that's the nectar of the fire lily."

Mabel furrowed her brow in thought. "Fire lily?"

"Quite right. Red as red can be, bioluminescent. Hard to miss them. Problem is trying to find a patch of them in the forest...they're quite rare, you see…."

This fact crushed Mabel to the core. " _Rare?"_

"Unfortunately," replied Granpa Ford with a equally disappointed tone. "I did have some specimens but they've been used already. We'll have to go out and find some."

"What?" Mabel breathed. "But Granpa Ford...we don't know how long it'll take us to find it. And anyway…." She swallowed nervously. "...the shadow wraith might still be out there."

"Either we go searching for it, Mabel," Ford told her softly, "or we let your brother die."

Mabel looked down at her hands, splayed on the floor. The thought of Dipper dying, leaving her, no longer being a part of her life after all those years...the small girl weighed the two choices in her mind, and one prevailed.

She got to her feet, dusted down her coat, and looked at Ford straight in the eye. "Then...then let's do it," she said.

Mabel could've sworn she'd seen a glimmer of amazement dance across her grandfather's features. "All right then," he agreed. "Let's go."

And so they set out again. As scared as Mabel was of encountering the shadow wraith, she knew that finding those lilies was of a much higher priority.

The thought of saving her brother, of seeing him alive and well again...it filled her with determination.

xxx

For some reason the tea tasted better than usual today.

Well-no. As she stirred her cup a smirk graced the girl's painted lips. There was a reason for everything, and the unusually superb quality of today's tea was no exception.

The journal had been found.

She had seen it all in the crystal ball, and it did not purvey any doubt. It was never wrong. The journal that she and the Order had been searching for for years had been finally found.

 _He's clever, that Stanford._ She took a sip of her tea. It was an ingenious way to hide something, really, she had to give the man some credit.

Well, she would if it wasn't for the fact that a _little girl_ had found it. _Yes, he's clever...to an extent._

It was a stroke of luck when the shadow wraith appeared immediately after the discovery. Most likely it was the workings of her lord and master Bill Cipher, finally seeing the opportunity and grasping it. He'd already known that the grandchildren of Stanford Pines were visiting Gravity Falls-however, he didn't think much of it at first. They weren't something to get too harried about, and the girl very much shared those feelings.

Until the granddaughter found the journal, of course: then the girl realized that the Order was going to have quite the thorn in their side.

 _Problems, problems._ She leaned forward in her cushioned chair and gave a sigh. The granddaughter was going to present a major problem to their plans, what with her tendency to pry about and look into everything. She was too curious for her own good, and the Order couldn't afford to have that.

 _She has to be rid of posthaste!_ she vowed silently. The girl spared no worries for the brother-he didn't look terribly bright, to be perfectly honest. But the sister...oh, the sister had to be done away with! She'd survived the shadow wraith attack, much to the girl's dismay, so she had to find another way to finish the little pestilence off.

The girl's eyes went to the crystal ball. As she peered into its cloudy depths she could see the figures of Stanford Pines and his granddaughter running desperately through the snow. Deeply she prayed to Lord Cipher that the shadow wraith would come back.

"You're playing with fire, darling," she warned the running girl, giving the ball a little tap. "And sooner or later...you're going to get burnt."


End file.
